Lisa Walsh joins IAB as director of research
Walsh
IAB Australia has named Lisa Walsh as its director of research following the departure of Gai Le Roy in February, Mumbrella can reveal.
Walsh joins the digital industry body after 13 years with the ABC where most recently she was head of insights. Prior to joining the ABC, she spent more than a decade working for Nielsen in media research and consumer marketing.
In her new role, Walsh will drive IAB programs aimed at growing online and mobile display and search investment by standardising and simplifying online audience and media measurement.
IAB Australia CEO Alice Manners said in a statement: “Lisa is an exceptional addition to the IAB team, bringing extensive experience and expertise in the media research environment.
“She will be working closely with the team to ensure IAB’s research efforts continue to assist the industry with insights into consumer behaviour, technology, brand, multi-channel marketing, measurement and analytics.”
Walsh joins Daad Soufi who was appointed earlier this year as director of regulatory affairs.
The appointment follows on from IAB research revealing 30 per cent of Australian mobile users are watching long-form content on their phones on a daily basis.
The Mobile Video 2015: A Global Perspective study, conducted across 24 countries, revealed 22 per cent of Australian users have watched a TV show on their smartphone in the past three months while 21 per cent have watched a movie.
In Australia, funny short videos and viral videos are the most watched type of content, with music videos the second most popular choice.
Manners said: “This study galvanises the importance of mobile video, with the rise in consumption a reflection of both the quality and quantity of content offerings that are being made with smaller screens in mind. Video content these days is somewhat of a moveable feast, and our smartphones and tablets are an integral part of that.”
According to the report, 15 per cent of smartphone users say they are directed to video content from advertising, with 51 per cent saying they have watched pre-roll, mid-roll or post-roll ads.
Around 42 per cent of consumers said they have seen sponsor messages in their video content, while 77 per cent of respondents saying they prefer free, ad-sponsored content to payment options.
“I think the study also shows that, for the most part, video advertising has learnt the lessons of its predecessors in regards to taste and placement,” said Manners.
“Four out of five Australians prefer free video with ads on their phones versus paying for no ads, which is good news for the industry.”
The study also revealed most content is viewed between 5pm to 11pm.
Miranda Ward
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